Celebrate Earth Day – April 22

Celebrate Earth Day – April 22

“I wake up in the morning asking myself what can I do today, how can I help the world today?”

— Julia Butterfly Hill, Environmentalist who spent 738 days living in a tree in order to save the old growth forests

Did you know that more than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world?

Visit earthday.org, the official website for all things Earth Day, for information, projects, action networks, and other great inspiring ideas to celebrate the day.

Here are a few to read more about:

Helps fight deforestation, we will plant a tree for every $1 you donate

Green Schools: Greening America’s Schools within a Generation

Women and Green Economy(WAGE)™: Engaging women leaders in the creation and development of a global green economy

Arts for the Earth: Celebrating the work of environmental artists in all media, including • Design: Browse submissions to the Acts of Green contest – You can purchase the winningt-shirt on April 22.
• Music: visit the Music for the Earth contest – download hundreds of free Earth Day-themed songs
• Museums: Learn more about the partnership with the American Museum Association

Show your commitment to the Earth, and be a part of the BILLION ACTS OF GREEN. Make a promise, to go green in any way, shape or form. At almost 100,000,000 pledges so far and counting, A Billion Acts of Green is the largest environmental service and advocacy campaign in the world.

It’s important to realize that even the smallest gesture can have the greatest impact when it is repeated every day, day in and day out. Then it becomes a habit, and a habit can turn into a lifestyle, and a lifestyle has the power to set an example and influence others.

There is a list of suggestions for inspiration, or you can make up your own.

While you’re thinking about your pledge, click here to use the Earth Day Network Footprint Calculator to see how many planet Earth’s it takes to support your lifestyle. I confess, I went into it feeling pretty sure I would have a lower-than-average footprint. I eat a mostly organic vegatarian diet and am experimenting going vegan; I drive a hybrid car, I work from home, I have been greening up my small home for last several years, I fly infrequently, I am a rabid re-cycler, I shop for clothing at second hand stores and donate all used clothing to others. But my lifestyle currently uses the resources of FOUR Earths (if everyone on Earth lived my lifestyle)!!

Shocking and painful to hear. The good news about the calculator, is that it gives practical and easy tips on how to reduce your footprint right away. I urge you to get the total picture for yourself. I am humbled and contrite, and will put forth more effort to reduce further.

All of us have a God in us, and that God is the spirit that unites all life, everything that is on this planet. It must be this voice that is telling me to do something, and I am sure it’s the same voice that is speaking to everybody on this planet – at least everybody who seems to be concerned about the fate of the world, the fate of this planet. — Wangari Maathai Noble Peace prize winner, Deputy Minister of Environment, founder Green Belt movement in Kenya.